Tangled
by Shiro Ryuu
Summary: [Rune x Thatz] Rune’s hair becomes so hopelessly tangled that he threatens to cut it off. Thatz is scandalized, and just a little bit scandalous.


**Disclaimer: **If I were Mineko Ohkami... then I would probably be able to come up with a much funnier disclaimer.

**AN: **This story more-or-less follows the fine tradition of TWT (timeline what timeline?), but I suppose it would have to be sometime pre-series. I was inspired by a lovely little doujinshi for a series that I'd never read - I'm pretty sure that the doujin was called 'Crystal Moon' and the series was called 'Apocripha', or something like that, and in any case they could be switched... heh... But anyhow, it was all terribly cliché and adorable, so I decided that I could probably get away with it if I just used a not-so-cliché couple :) And with that said... please read and review!

* * *

_Tug. Yank._

"Um... er... hmm... Gah!"

Rune sighed his frustration, and thumped his head back against the wall. "No good," he muttered to himself. "I think I only made it worse..." He eyed the lock of hair in his hand grimly, trying in vain to trace it outside the edge of his vision to where it was knotted quite hopelessly around some catch or decoration on his choker. Putting on a good show for His Lordship, the elf reflected, was all very well and good, but couldn't whoever had designed these dress uniforms have made them a _bit _more practical...?

Rune wrinkled his nose at the imprisoned hair, giving it another absentminded yank. _I suppose I'll have to cut it, _he reflected. _And this is a big chunk; it'll be uneven... I might have to cut it all... _The thought was almost appealing - it did get really annoying from time to time, and it was hotter in the capital than it had been in the fairy forest - it was only logical to cut it, really - except that _someone _had once expressed a fondness for it, he realized suddenly. His eyes flickered unbidden to his door - that person's room was just across the hall - and he frowned lightly. Why would he choose to remember such an old conversation now?

Rune shrugged it off. Well, it wasn't like he'd be stopping him. The guy did have a habit of barging in uninvited at odd moments to chat, it was true, but his two favorite hobbies were definitely sleeping and eating. He should just do it; he couldn't imagine why he'd let it get _this _long, really. He nodded judiciously, mind made up, and glanced thoughtfully around the room...

* * *

Thatz whistled tunelessly under his breath, and he fairly _skipped _as he made his way through the quiet palace to his destination. It was a beautiful sunny day, and he'd just managed to evade a meeting with the Lord in favor of a lovely two-hour nap in the garden followed immediately by consuming about twenty cookies. All, he felt, was as it should be, and he wanted nothing more than to spread this profound feeling of joy to everybody he knew (or annoy the heck out of them trying).

He beamed as he found the desired door, and habitually flung it open without knocking. "Rune-_y_-kun! And how are-!" Here he choked on the rest of his words, as his brain finally managed to process the sight before him. "_Rune! _Don't do it-!" Horrified, he rushed forward to grab Rune's wrist and pin it down to the back on the couch on which he was sitting; the sword the elf had been holding to his neck fell to the floor with a clatter.

"What are you thinking?-!" Thatz demanded, his voice raised a few octaves higher than normal in hysteria. "Oh, gods, how could I not have noticed - I'm so sorry - I've failed you as a friend-"

"Shut up!" Rune shrieked in his ear, feeling a bit hysterical himself at the precise moment. "I was just using the sword to - well, I mean, _look _at it."

Thatz blinked, then did as ordered, and hung his head. "Oh... heh."

"Idiot..."

Thatz glowered lightly. "Well, it's your fault too," he pouted. "Using a _sword _for something like that... I mean - geez..."

"So what?" Rune snapped heatedly. "I was being careful - it'd be done already if you'd just bloody get _off _me..."

Thatz, suddenly aware of his position - he was indeed towering over the elf, one hand continuing to pin Rune's right wrist to the back of the couch and the other resting next to his head - rather hurriedly moved to kneel on the floor in front of him instead, but he shook his head. "Aw, you don't need a sword for _that _anyway. Just tilt your head back a little, please."

Rune arched an eyebrow, but did as he was told. Well, he supposed that it only made sense that somebody who picked locks would be good at this sort of thing... He became vaguely aware that the top couple buttons of his shirt were undone, as Thatz breathed out...

"Hmm...? Ugh, this is _awful_, Rune. Did this really all happen just during the meeting?"

Rune sighed, attempting to blow his bangs out of his face. _My neck hurts... _"And _that_," he said stiffly, "is why I was _trying _to cut it... then I wouldn't have this sort of problem..."

"Oi, just relax," Thatz said, and Rune realized with a start that he was indeed rather tense. _Is it just because he's so close? But I've slept in the same bed as him, on missions, for crying out loud... _"Anyway," the ex-thief continued cheerfully, "I think it looks good the way it is."

Rune felt a startled blush coming on, and tried furiously to force it down. "Yes... I - I remember you saying that, once before..."

Was it just his imagination, or did Thatz look rather startled too? "Oh? You remember that...?"

"I have a good memory," Rune said defensively, trying to ignore the fact that Thatz was practically talking - whispering? - in his ear.

"Oh, I suppose you would," he agreed thoughtfully, "being an elf..." The coil of hair came loose at last, and Thatz grinned triumphantly. "But in any case, I really do love this hair." He raised the lock to his face and, as if it was a flower, breathed deeply... Rune was certain that he saw, just for a moment, a hint of smirk...

The blond boy jerked back and stared, stunned. "Hey!" he yelped. "What're you - _ugh_ - you're such a dork..." He glared accusingly, hoping Thatz wouldn't say anything about the way he had finally lost all semblance of control over his blush.

There was no doubt about it; Thatz was definitely smirking now. "_I'm _a dork? You're _blushing._"

Rune balled his fists tight in a conscious effort to keep from strangling his fellow knight. "Ooh, _you _- get out!"

Thatz threw up his hands, but he did get up and start to the door, all the while muttering: "Fine, geez, see if I ever untangle _your _hair again..." Just as he reached the door, however, he suddenly looked back. "Uhm - just out of curiosity, what _are _you going to do about your hair?"

Rune sighed again, leaning his head back. Odd, how he suddenly couldn't look at the other man... "I... Oh, I guess I'll just leave it long. For a while."

Thatz beamed. "Oh, okay. Well, I guess I'll see you later-"

"And - thank you."

Thatz just grinned, and disappeared down the hall.

Rune allowed his eyes to slide shut, because he was feeling somehow a bit tired now, and his brows furrowed. Of _course _he remembered that conversation...

He couldn't recall anymore just how long ago it'd been, but it had happened during their very first mission together. Rath had gotten tired and had left to sleep in the tent, but the two of them had stayed up by the fire talking. He remembered that he'd found Thatz's carefree laughter very soothing...

"_Hey, why do you keep your hair so long? Doesn't it drive you nuts?"_

"_Well - I'm not sure, actually. A lot of fairies wear it like this, but I guess, since I became a knight-"_

"_Oh, don't get me wrong; I'm not pickin' on you. It's really pretty. When I first saw you, I was sure you were a girl - no, I mean, a really beautiful one - ugh, that's not exactly something you'd want to hear, I suppose..."_

_For some reason, though he should obviously have been fuming at that point and really couldn't imagine why he wasn't, Rune hadn't been able to say anything at all, and had simply stared... and then Thatz had leaned in and... kissed him, deeply and tenderly, a hand sneaking up to finger his hair..._

Rune nodded to himself. Yes, and then he'd decked him - Thatz had nearly fallen into the fire - and Rath and all three of the dragon had woken up, and they'd both yelled at them to go back to bed - and had apparently been very frightening indeed, because for once they got immediate obedience - and then Thatz had laughed it off and said he'd just been tired, that it had been a mistake, and had promised that it wouldn't happen again. Rune had felt exceedingly awkward around him for weeks afterwards - until he gradually realized that Thatz was sticking to his word. And that had appeared to be it.

So he should be happy now, right?

He frowned, fiddling absently with the choker.

Except that, every once in a while, there were moments like this, which could very well be all in his imagination anyway. He wasn't quite sure whether or not he wanted them to be, though of course he would never tell Thatz that... Eyes closed, Rune recalled warm breath ghosting over his chest, words whispered in his ear... and smiled, very slightly.

**Owari**


End file.
